Rail-antispreading device



III. .5. B ASLER.

RAIL ANTISPREADING DEVICE. APPLICATION yFILED MAY I. 1920.

1,387,340. PatentedAug. 9, 1921.

f. ff M III m 5 6 unirsi) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN E. BASLER, OF LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAIL-ANTISPREADING DEVICE.

Las-7,3m.

To all 'Loli/om it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN E. BAsLnR, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of St. kLouis and'State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements iii Rail-Antispreading Devices, ofwhich the following'is a specification.

My invention relates to rail anti spreading devices, and, has for itsobject to pro- 'vide a device to overcome certain practical Referring tothe accompanying drawings forming a partof this specification whereinlike characters of reference denote similar parts 'throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1, is a plan view of the' invention 'applied to the rails.'

Fig. 2, is a side elevation, partly in section, of the device applied'to the rails.

Fig. k3, is Va detaihin side elevation, of one of the gage shanks.

Fig. 4, is adetail, 'in side elevation, of one of the screw-threadedclamping shanks.

Fig. 5, is a sectional view, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2 f

Fig. 6, is a 6-6 0f Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character lfdesignates the treadmember of the rails; 2, the underfaces inclined thereof; 3, the webmember of the rails, and, 4, the base member.

in carrying out the aim of my present invention I employ a pair of outerclamping members each consisting of a rail clamping jaw 6 having thebase member receiving recess 7, the web engaging face 8 and the inclinedtread member engaging face 9. A shank l() extends inwardly from eachclamping jaw 6 and is provided with a flat upper face 11. The inner end12 of each shank 10 is provided with screw-threads toireceive aninternally screw-threaded coupling 13 for uniting the Shanks. One of theshanks 10 is provided with right handed screw-threads Specification ofLetters Patent.

`to by means of the -set screws 24.

sectional view taken on line Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

Application filed May 1, 1920.` Serial No. 378,255.

while the other shank is provided with left handed screw-threads and thebore of the coupling 13 is likewise screw-threaded so that by turningthe coupling in one direction, with a wrench, the clamping jaws will'be' moved inward and by turning the coupling in the oppositeAdirection, the clamping jaws 6 will be moved in an outward direction, asis manifest.

I further employ a pair of rail gage members each consisting of a railclamping jaw 14 having a beveled lower face 15 to provide a base memberreceiving recess 16 when mounted upon the Shanks 10. The jaw 14 of eachrail gage member is further provided with the web engaging `face 17 andthe inclined' tread member engaging face 18. A gage shank member 19extends inwardly from each inner rail clamping jaw 14 and is nerr`extremity of eachV gage shank 19 -is provided with a suitable couplingengaging head 21 adapted to engage theend faces 22 of the coupling 13.

A pair of suitable guide loops 23 are carried by each 'shank 19 and theyare each removably and adjustablyxed there- The guideloops 23 of eachshank-19 encircle the shanks 10 upon which shanks 19 are slidablymounted and tend to hold the shanks 19 from lateral displacement, as ismanifest.

The clamping jaws Gare adapted to engage the outer face of the web 3ofeach rail, and also the under face of the tread member 1 and upperface of the base member 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The clamping jaws14 are adapted to engage the inner face of the web 3, of each rail, andalso the underface of the tread member 1 and the upper 'face of the basemember 4,` as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

By turning the coupling 13, in one direction,` it will be observed, thatafter the threaded ends 12 of the shanks 1() haver entered thescrew-threaded bore of the coupling a suitable distance the head 21 atthe free end of each shank 19 will come into contact with the vend facesof the coupling 13, which coupling serves to prevent the jaws 14 fromapproaching each other beyond a certain minimum distanceV which distancedetermines the gage of the track. The jaws 14 are adapted to be movedoutward against the inner face of the web 3 of each rail while the jaws6 will tend to move inwardly againstthe outer face of the web of eachrail and that the further the coupling is turned, the tighter the jaws 6and 14 will clamp the rails, as is manifest, thereby maintaining them atgage and preventing their spreading at places along the railway trackwhere they are applied to the rails.

I+ will be readily Seen that by turning the coupling 13 in an oppositedirection that the screw-threaded ends 12 of the Shanks 10 may bedisengaged from the coupling 13 and withdrawn from the guide loops 23,in transferring the parts from one place to another or in shipment.

It will be here observed thaty the Shanks 19 are arranged in opposedrelation upon opposite Sides of the coupling and likewise the shanks 10upon which the Shanks 19 are mounted and guided by means of the guideloops 23.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that I Vprovide a durableand efcient rail tie clamp, or anti spreading device which willpositively prevent lateral displacement or spreading of rails at placesalong a track where they are applied.

The many advantages of the herein described invention will readilysuggest themselves to those skilled in the artV to which it appertains.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself t0 the exact detailsof construction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, aSit is manifest that varia- Y tions and modifications may be made withoutor modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appendedclaims when fairly construed.

What I claim is:

1. An anti-Spreading device for railways comprising a pair of'shankshaving their upper faces flat and their inner ends screwthreaded, acoupling for uniting said screw threaded Shanks, a rail engaging head atthe outer end of each Screw threaded shank, a gage shank having a flatlower face mounted upon each screw threaded shank, a rail engaging headat the outer end of each gage shank, a head at the inner end of eachgage shank having abutting engagement with the end faces of the couplingand guide loops removably fixed to the gage Shanks and encircling thescrew threaded Shanks to prevent lateral displacement of the gage Shanksupon the screw threaded Shanks.

2. A rail anti-spreading device comprising a pair of Shanks havingflatupper faces and screw threaded at their inner ends, rail engaging jawsat the outer ends of said Shanks having surfaces for engaging the outerunderface of the tread portion of the rails, the outer face of the websthereofand the outer upper face of the base members of the rails, gageShanks mounted upon fthe aforesaid Shanks, rail engaging jaws at theouter end of Said gage Shanks having Surfaces for engaging the innerundersurface of the tread portion of the rails, the inner face-of thewebs thereof and the inner upper face of the base members of therails, ahead having a flat face at Vthe inner end'of each gage Shank, acouplingfor uniting the Screw thread Shanks for drawing the jaws thereof thejaws of the gage Shanks fromapproach ing each other beyond a certainminimum distance which distance determines the gage of the track andmeans to prevent displacement of the gage shanks'uponthe screw threadedShanks. c

In testimony whereof, I haveV hereunto signed my name to thespecification.

NonMAN E. BASLER..

Vtoward each other and serving to prevent

